The Chesapeake and the Shannon
For Free Trade and Sailors Rights the US Went to War with Britain
On a day in June 1813 an American frigate left Boston harbor to engage the British warship that awaited her. After fifteen minutes of battle over a hundred men were dead
The British at War
When the American colonies won their independence in 1783, Britain was already locked in a deadly struggle against a united Europe. Subsequent victory at Trafalgar confirmed Britain's mastery of the seas and gave her a strangle-hold on the commerce of Napoleon's empire. But then in 1812, America declared war on Britain.
Free Trade and Sailor's Rights
Still standing alone against the French tyrant, Britain strove to maintain her huge fleet of fighting ships. The USA was, at this stage, a neutral trading nation, dealing with both sides in the conflict. But these were desperate times and it was common for the Royal Navy to board neutral ships and remove British deserters. They also pressed American citzens into service and blockades were imposed on American ports. Bad feeling grew leading to the USA declaring war on England in June 1812, flourishing the slogan "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights."
A Bold Decision
At this time, the USA had sixteen fighting ships - a naval strength equivalent to that of Sicily. It might, therefore have been thought foolhardy to seek a conflict with a nation that for years had defied a much mightier enemy and had almost a thousand ships deployed across the world. The British initially viewed the conflict as an irritant and were confident that the force of a battleship and seven frigates, already stationed at Halifax, Nova Scotia, would be sufficient to deal with the American threat. One of these frigates was HMS Shannon, commanded by Captain Philip Broke, RN.
Setbacks for the British
The British suffered some early defeats at sea, losing several smaller ships to stronger US forces. The public at home became uneasy and it became imperative that something was done to restore British supremacy. Significantly, this war was also being waged on land and Prisident Madison had designs on a conquest of Canada.
A Single Ship Action
Patrolling off the coast of Massachusetts, Captain Broke in HMS Shannon knew that a large American frigate, the USS Chesapeake, had re-fitted in Boston Harbor and was ready to put to sea. He sent a message to the commander of the Chesapeake, Captain James Lawrence, USN, challenging him to come out and fight. Lawrence was anyway determined to set sail, confident that his ship and crew were superior to the British . Lawrence was an impetuous man who detested inaction. He knew he had a slightly bigger ship with heavier armament but failed to take account of the experience of Broke and the effectiveness of the highly trained British gun crews.
A Bloody Battle
The two ships exchanged broadsides before the Shannon was able to rake the American decks with gun-fire then come alongside her. Lawrence was mortally wounded early in the action but shouted his defiance, "Don't give up the ship" as he was carried below. Captain Broke was also seriously wounded, having led his men aboard the American ship with the cry, Follow me who can!" After fierce hand-to-hand fighting on her decks, the Chesapeake surrendered and was later sailed to Halifax.
Chesapeake Mill
The American ship was eventually broken up in 1819 and her timbers used to build a water mill at Wickham in Hampshire, England. Chesapeake Mill has been preserved and now receives many visitors from across the world. www.chesapeakemill.co.uk
Sources
Forester C.S. The Naval War of 1812. Michael Joseph, 1957
Kenneth Poolman Guns Off Cape Ann. Evans Brothers, London, 1961
N.A.M. Rodger The Command of the Ocean (A Naval History of Britain) Penguin Allan Lane 2004
